Spring-wheel.



F. STITZEL.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. s, 1913.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

WITNESSES M Xv 4 FREDERICK s'rr rzEL; or Loursvfilinfknurucxr.

SPRING-whilst.

Specification 01* Letters Patent. I

Patented Feb. 3.1914.

Application filed March 6, 1813. Serial No. 752,442;

To all whom it may concern: Be it known'that I, FREDERICK STITznL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county ofJefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Spring- 'Wheels, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description;

This invention relates to the, type of spring wheel illustrated in theSeaton Patents Nos. 861,542, 867,614, 912,627 and 922,344, and theobject of the invention is to avoid the counteracting "of oppositelyarrangedsprings, and to secure the benefit of the tension of the severalsprings in taking the load. "This; object is attained by using com-'pression springs and mounting them so as tosecure a large if not amaximum amount of efliciency. I

,The invention consists of a combination of com ression springshorizontally arranged" between rigid bearings, preferably fixed 'dn oneof the wheel members, and

flexible bearings on the other wheel-mem ber, substantially as I will,proceed now-to erplaina'ndv finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrat ing the'invention, in the severalfiguresibf which like parts are similarly designated,

Figure l is an elevation of a portio'nof a wheel, and Fig. 2 is avertical section, on a larger scale, taken through one of thespring'epnnections,

Thej'wheel 'is-composed of an inner wheel member}, and an outenwheelmember 2, and a seijesiof spring connections 3, which couple th'ewheelmembers together in such the load. i

"1 The inner member '1 may be of any approved construction, and is hereshown as built up of a hub4, spokes 5 and arim 6.

way'that the wheel responds resiliently to Fixed .to the rim 6 are aseries of rigid bearing pieces 7 arranged in pairs, set op.- positeoneanother, and including the vertically disposed cups 8. her 2 likewisemay be of any approved construction, and is here shown as including afolly 9 and tire 10. .Fixed to the folly 9 of the outer member 2, arethe hangers 1], also a ged in pairs-and sot opposite one another and ofmore or less flexible, resilient .or'elastic nature, and extendingtoward the 'fixed bearing pieces 7 and between them.

These hangers or..fiexible bearings 11 are made with cupped. holes 12 inwhich; are

The outer inemset the self-adjusting'cups 13, having the bosses 14. p v

The on s 8 and 13 have bearing'balls 15 interpose between them and ofa"siz'o enough smaller than the cups'stoper'mit shifting as theloadlvaries on the wheel.

Conuiression springs'lti are mountedliorizontally or transversely of thewheelyon the bosses 14,-between the hangers 11, sons to yield laterallyas the wheel turns, the balls rolling in the cups as the inner mems, bermoves with relation to the outer nit-mber and always preserving theelasticity of the springs. Any strains in excess of the resistance ofthe springs will he cared for by the flexibility or resilience of thehang: ers, without impairing the efliciency of the connections.

The springs are placed in position be-. tween the fixed bearings and thehangers and held therein under compression to the} proper degree. Anymovement of the inner member of the wheel in, an diiectionwill tend tofurther compress *the springs, and

'all of the springs will b aflfected alike.

It will be observed; that the springs and their supports are carriedwholly by the flexible han rs, without any fixedconnection of saidangers or springs or their sup ports with the other member of the wheel,but in-such position and'relation to the latter as to respond to themovements of said member. 1

Variations in the structure and arrangement of parts is permissiblewithin the spirit and scope of the inventio What I claim is t 1. Aspring wheel, comprising an inner member and an outer member, said innermember movable with relation to said outer member, and springconnections for such members, including rigid hearings on one member,flexible bearings'on the other member, compression springs interposedbetween its and wholly supported by the flexible bearings and-movablemeans interposed between the rigid bearings and the flexible'bearingsand acting upon the springs.

2. A spring wheel, comprising an inner 'member and an outer member, saidinner members, including rigid'bearing's on one member, flexi. lebearingson the other mem-i ber ball cups arranged in said bearings,balijs interposed between said cups. andoommember movable with relationto said outer member, and spring connections for such pression springsinterposed between these bearingsfand supported by theyball-cups in theflexible bearings;

3. Afspring wheel, comprising an inner member and an outer mem r, saidinner member movable with relati i to said outer member, and springeonneetions for such members, including rigid earings on one member.flexible hearings on the other member. ball cups arranged ,in saidbearings, balls interposed between said cups, and eompre. ion springsinterposed between these lHtll'illQ'S, the cups of one set of bearingshavhig bosses engaging the ends of the springs to support them.

4. A spring wheel, comprising an inner member'aud an outer member. saidinner member movable wi;h relation to said outer member. and springconnections for such members. including; rigid bearings on the innermember, flexible hangers depending from the outer member and extendingbetween the rigid bearings, and con'ipression springs wholly supportedin said hangers and l'tSpOllSiVQ to the movements of the inner nnunber.

A spring wheel, comprising an inner member and an outer member, saidinner member moralde with relation to said outer .member, and springconnections for such members, including" rigid bearings on the innerinemb-er having ball cups, flexible hangers on the outer memberextending between the rigid ljiearings and having selfadj Listing ballcups arranged near their ends and opposite the cups of the rigidbearings and having bosses, balls arranged in said' cups, andcompression springs mounted upon said bosses and extending tranwcr clyoi' the wheel between the bearings and hangers.

6. A spring wheel, comprising a inner member and an outer member. saidinner member movable with relation to said outer member. and springconnections for such members, including pairs of rigid bearings fixed onone of the members, pairs o flexible bearings fixed on the other memberand extending between the rigid bearings, and compression springs whollysupported by the pairs of flexible bearings.

7. spring wheel, comprising an inner member and an outer member, saidinner member movable with relation to said outer member, and springconnections for such members. including, pairs of rigid hearings on theinner member having bail cups, pairs of flexible hangers on the outermember extending betweeulhc rigid bearings and havins! selt-adjustingball cups arranged near their ends and opposite the ball cups of thellQld bearings and having bosses DIOJGCl'I Hg mwardlv. balls interposedbetween the cups and in rolling engagement therewith, and

compression springs supported between said hangers on said bosses.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of March,A. D. 1913.

FREDERICK STITZEL.

'itnesses:

(inonun Mnnoxn, Karin \VnLSH.

